The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1887-04-09
Bayou ~Plaquenlinc.

NI
Times. Democrat says Major Hener
has submitted to the Secretary Of
War the following report or an ex.
animation of the mouth Of Bayou
Plaquemine with a view to its con-
nection with the Mississippi river by
locks.
within the past few months the
Mississippi river banks have been
caving to an unusual extent imme.
diately in front Of the town of PIa.
quemine. and considerable of this
caving has occurred at the immedi'
ate site or head Of the Bayou Pla-
auemine. Either the bank will
have to be held by regetment or
other protecting works, Or the locks
will have to be established we'll in
the land, and in The latter case an
nuaI or more frequent dredging will
be required to free the approaches
to the locks from sedimentary de.
deposits.
aShould the Plaquemine route be
opened to navigation the greatest
benefit would result to all the planters
on the Teche. The present water
route from the Teche to New Or
leans is, approximately, 1926 miles
in length. If the ~Plaquemine route
were opened this route would be
shortened about $50 miles, or give
for the products of the Teche a wa
ter route to market 245 miles long.
instead OF 1875 miles. as at present,
and thereby lesson the cost Of trans
portation of this the richest sugar
country in louisiana. The estima-
ted annual value Of the output of
the 1'eche country is s3,355,000.
1his is for sugar aud molasses alone;
other products would probably
bring the aggregate output to 81
100000. Not more than 20 per
cent Of this freight has Of late years
been carried to New Orleans 10y the
all water route. One eason for
this is that not more than one boat
could make = living carrying freight
425 miles in competition with a
railroad, whose haul was only 1925
miles. BY shortening the water
haul, as above indicated, the boats
can carry for less money; the rail
read will therefore have to reduce
its freight rate, and thus directly
benefit every planter IN that section
If the country.
For Eve or six weeks the mouth
OF Ola river has been practically
closed to navigation OF accouat OF
the extreme low stage Of the water.
Had the Plaqsemine rontc then
been opened such boats as III ap the
Red, Black, Ouachita, AtchafaIaya
and Bayou T%ensas, Bartholomew
and others. al aggregate lenxht OF
over 5000 miles of navigab!e streams
would have been Uninterrupted. and
would have eaved to the country and
people interested . loss which may
lbe roughly estimated at not less
$300, coo. I aaa Of the epinioa that
the improvement will cost si,1a8,'
$50, and that the navigation route
is worthy Of improvement
A special from Waco, Texas, o!
the LIST, to the Times, Democrat says:
Under the laws Of this State the
intermarriage Of persons o. wkite
and Negro blood is . felony. The
Grst case Of m;scegenatiaa occurring
here 10 now attracting notice. The
parties are DR.. Peter, . white man,
and Annie Thompson, alleged TO be
= malatress, bat who claims size is
an Indian. Both parties was in
dicted by the grand Jury and ar.
rested to-day. Counsel for the 20
man say the trial will bring Out
some sensational Developments"
Villas and Whitney are reported
the takers at Cabinet mcet;ngs
Lamar is generally very quite, bn'
wakes up occasionally and scores ,
= good point. Bayard talks q good
deal at long Intervals. Fairehild
vhe occupies Nanning's sent at the
table, is essentially judicial in his